Spanish Mission Field Troubled By Unrest
The most serious political crisis in Spain since 1982 is causing deep division, writes European Christian Mission International field leader, The most serious political crisis in Spain since 1982 is causing deep division, writes European Christian Mission International field leader, Jim Memory.
The political situation in Spain right now is very troubling. The referendum on independence in Catalonia had the desired effect of provoking the national government to intervene. The images of police officers in riot gear breaking into schools
to remove ballot boxes and beating back anyone who stood in their way has polarised opinions even further. The Catalan president had threatened to declare independence and the intervention of King Felipe was ineffective. Now, the Catalan President and government has been dismissed by the Spanish national government, under article 155 of the Spanish constitution.
This is the most serious political crisis in Spain since the attempted coup in 1982 and neither side seems willing to seek any sort of compromise. It is dividing families and even Evangelical churches and has implications not just for Spain but the whole of Europe. So please remember Spain in your prayers over the coming days and weeks.
We have found ourselves remembering Paul’s words that we “have this treasure in jars of clay” and that “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.”
(2 Cor. 4:7,8).
Jim Memory.
Vision and Strategy Group Leader for the field ministries of ECMI in Europe.
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Please Pray
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Spain is traditionally a staunchly Roman Catholic Country. These days, as people turn their back on the institutional church, there is a spiritual vacuum which people are seeking to fill. Materialism, atheism and the occult are on the rise.
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Evangelicals in Spain make up just 0.1% of the population.
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Spain stil lsuffers the highest unemployment rate in Western Europe, at 17%. It also has the highest youth unemployment of this region – 37%.
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Pray that in the political crisis, ECM- Australia missionaries serving in Spain would have wisdom and grace. These are, Chloe Wolfson serving in Peñarroya and James & Carolynn Webb, in Córdoba.
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Pray that evangelicals in Catalonia will be used by God to encourage constructive dialogue in this crisis. Pray they may be able to effectively point to reconciliation and hope in Christ.